The Boston Red Sox will not renew the contracts of bench coach Jerry Narron and bullpen coach Craig Bjornson.

The rest of the coaching staff has been invited to return in 2021, according to the team. But it seems likely the new manager will have the final say on his coaches.

The Red Sox are without a manager after letting Ron Roenicke go on the final day of the regular season.

Bjornson had served as bullpen coach since 2018. Roenicke hired Narron as bench coach during spring training in February after he took over as manager for Alex Cora, who the Red Sox let go Jan. 14 for his involvement in the 2017 Astros’ illegal signing stealing scheme.

This marked Narron’s second stint with Boston. He previously spent one season with the Red Sox, working as Grady Little’s bench coach in 2003.

The Red Sox have kept their managerial search private. No information about potential candidates has been made public.

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It remains unclear whether the Red Sox consider Cora a candidate to return as manager in 2021. Team president Sam Kennedy and chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom won’t say either way.

Cora suspension expires after the World Series ends. No team is allowed speak with Cora until then.

Earlier this month, Bloom didn’t rule out the potential of Cora returning, but he also wouldn’t confirm if he is a candidate.

“I know this is a question I got a couple times during the season,” Bloom said. “And I know I didn’t get into very much detail on it during the season. That was really out of respect to Ron. Thought that Ron deserved to be evaluated without anybody looking over his shoulder. So I know that’s not the case anymore. But I still don’t want to get into really any detail on my thoughts on Alex. I don’t want to say anything about Alex that I haven’t said to Alex. And obviously I haven’t spoken to Alex. So there will be a time where I think I can get into more detail on Alex and his situation, my thoughts on it. That time isn’t now.”

THE WALL STREET Journal reports John Henry “is in talks to join with an investment vehicle for an $8 billion deal that would take his famed sports holdings public, according to people familiar with the matter.”

The deal being discussed would merge Fenway Sports Group LLC, which also owns English soccer team Liverpool Football Club, with RedBall Acquisition Corp., the people said. RedBall is a so-called special purpose acquisition company launched by private-equity firm RedBird Capital Partners and Oakland Athletics executive Billy Beane.

According to the Journal, RedBall is looking “to purchase a stake that will total less than 25% in Fenway Sports Group. … The talks are in the early innings and could still fall apart. Fenway’s investors had a meeting recently to discuss the potential transaction, one of the people said.”

Front Office Sports reports the Red Sox are the crown jewel of Fenway Sports Group’s holdings: Boston Red Sox, Fenway Park, New England Sports Network, Liverpool F.C., Salem Red Sox, Roush Fenway Racing, Fenway Sports Management.

Henry bought the Red Sox in 2002, and has seen his club win four World Series titles since 2004.


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